Having survived, Munster now planning to thrive as URC playoff picture becomes clearerMunster will be on the road in the quarter-finals and may be heading for South Africa depending on Saturday’s resultsSat May 17 2025 - 16:27
The inside story of how Terenure signed Carlos Spencer as a coachThe former All Black’s imminent arrival in Dublin 6w as coach is causing delight, not least among players and staffSat May 17 2025 - 06:00
Munster can fight on after battling past BenettonMunster will face Bulls or Glasgow in playoffsFri May 16 2025 - 22:45
Gerry Thornley: IRFU decision on Sevens reflects the cold, hard business of sportCutting the men’s programme is not necessarily a huge saving, although it could be around the €400,000 markFri May 16 2025 - 18:54
Munster v Benetton preview: Irish province are ever the drama kings as they take Champions Cup hopes down to the wireMusgrave Park hosts winner-takes-all shoot-out for a place in URC playoffs and next season’s CupFri May 16 2025 - 06:00
Munster stick with winning formula for vital visit of BenettonMunster team news: Peter O’Mahony and Stephen Archer both start for final home game with provinceThu May 15 2025 - 13:34
Champions Cup without Munster is ‘inconceivable’, says Craig Casey ahead of important Benetton showdownMunster's Craig Casey keen to channel disappointment of Lions omission into a match-winning performanceWed May 14 2025 - 06:00
Munster will face probably the best Benetton side that has ever set foot on an Irish ground Benetton’s core of Italian internationals is garnished with clever overseas acquisitionsTue May 13 2025 - 20:24
Results suggest Ulster and Connacht on a worrying slide Provinces miss out on United Rugby Championship playoffs with both now consigned to next season’s Challenge Cup Tue May 13 2025 - 06:00
Munster v Benetton: A sell-out crowd, an emotional farewell and a chance of a top-eight finish This is a playoff to reach the playoffs for next season’s Champions Cup as Peter O’Mahony, Stephen Archer and Conor Murray bow outMon May 12 2025 - 18:41
What Munster must do to guarantee URC playoff spot and Champions Cup rugby next seasonFive teams are in contention for the final three places in the playoffs going into the final round of games Mon May 12 2025 - 15:16
Terenure College name former All Black Carlos Spencer as new head coachFormer outhalf has signed a three-year deal with the clubSat May 10 2025 - 17:45
‘At this moment in time, we’re not good enough’: Ulster look to the future as Munster end URC hopesUlster head coach Richie Murphy believes experience will stand to his side next seasonSat May 10 2025 - 14:24
Win over Ulster a fitting Thomond Park farewell for Munster’s departing faithfulFormer captain Peter O’Mahony gave the home crowd in Limerick a try-scoring goodbySat May 10 2025 - 13:53
Peter O’Mahony scores on Thomond farewell as Munster secure bonus-point win over UlsterUlster facing a season without Champions Cup for first time in 31 yearsFri May 09 2025 - 21:53
Gerry Thornley: Lions selections cap bittersweet week for Leinster after Northampton defeatFans left wondering how team with a dozen Lions players could lose at home in Champions Cup semi-finalFri May 09 2025 - 14:52
Lions Tour 2025: The winners and losers as Andy Farrell names squadMack Hansen returns home as a Lions player but Sam Prendergast will have to bide his time Fri May 09 2025 - 06:00
Gerry Thornley: Ireland deserve top billing in Lions touring party to Australia With 15 players named in the 38-man squad, Ireland players lead the way on a Lions tour for the first timeThu May 08 2025 - 16:50
Lions Tour 2025: Our rugby writers select their squads to face Australia Caelan Doris’s injury is a cruel blow but Ireland’s four-year record looks set to be rewarded in Andy Farrell’s selection Wed May 07 2025 - 20:07
RG Snyman and Linda Djougang named Leinster Players of the YearSam Prendergast and Robyn O’Connor receive Young Player of the Year awardsWed May 07 2025 - 06:00
Gerry Thornley: Munster and Ulster have faced each other in bigger games, but this one is a must-win for bothThe two sides could be missing from the Champions Cup next season for the first time in 31 yearsWed May 07 2025 - 06:00
‘If anything, we care too much’: Josh van der Flier picking himself back up after crushing Champions Cup exitVeteran openside hopes to soften blow of Leinster’s semi-final defeat with Lions inclusionWed May 07 2025 - 06:00
Gerry Thornley: Leinster’s latest heartbreak in Europe shows they are human after allCullen’s men face a painful postmortem to rival that of the 2023 final when Leinster let slip a 23-7 lead against La RochelleTue May 06 2025 - 06:00
‘We should have been better defensively’: Jacques Nienaber on Leinster’s shock defeat to Northampton Head coach admits questions will be asked about selection, not to mention missed tackles and concession of five tries and 37 pointsTue May 06 2025 - 06:00
Caelan Doris doubtful for Lions tour after suffering shoulder injuryLeinster backrower had been candidate for Lions captaincy on his first tourMon May 05 2025 - 17:36
Leo Cullen under scrutiny after Leinster loss to NorthamptonSingle Champions Cup in 13 years could be deemed poor return for considerble investment in playing squadMon May 05 2025 - 06:00
Leinster battle sense of dismay in wake of defeat to Northampton Belief persists in province’s dressingroom that penalty try should have been awarded in penultimate play of Champions Cup semi-finalMon May 05 2025 - 06:00
Leinster’s Champions Cup quest flounders in face of Northampton’s attacking brillianceDecision to leave Jordie Barrett on the bench for so long and poor defence cost Leinster dearly in semi-final loss Mon May 05 2025 - 06:00
Leinster v Northampton: Mystery surrounds decision not to award late match-winning tryRoss Byrne’s effort was ruled out in last minute of Champions Cup semi-final, but Rabah Slimani felt there should have been a penalty trySat May 03 2025 - 22:15
Forewarned is forearmed as Leinster look to take down Northampton in search for fifth starLeo Cullen suggests IRFU policy was not involved in naming Jordie Barrett among the replacements for matchSat May 03 2025 - 06:00
Gerry Thornley: Leinster may be semi-final specialists, but getting any further is often a coin tossNorthampton will be clutching all the positives they can find ahead of Champions Cup showdownSat May 03 2025 - 06:00
Gerry Thornley: Josh van der Flier’s contest with Henry Pollock an intriguing Lions sub-plot At 32 this is set to be Van der Flier’s last chance to make tour but 20-year-old Pollock could have a say in that Fri May 02 2025 - 17:26
AIL awards: Dan Goggin named Division 1A player of seasonMen’s and Women’s Coach of the Year Awards went to Quenton O’Neale of Old Belvedere and Jason Moreton of WicklowThu May 01 2025 - 20:58
Jordie Barrett expected to start on bench for Leinster’s game against NorthamptonFrontliners to return after break for Champions Cup semi-finalThu May 01 2025 - 18:19
Ireland is facing likelihood of only having two sides in next season’s Champions Cup for first time everLack of depth in Ireland women’s team further exposed when losing Edel McMahon and Dorothy Wall in Saturday’s loss to Scotland Tue Apr 29 2025 - 06:00
Gritty Clontarf savour ‘pretty sweet’ AIL triumphYoungster Hugh Cooney showed qualities that could make him a future Ireland player Tue Apr 29 2025 - 06:00
Clontarf edge past Cork Con to earn fourth Energia All-Ireland titleExciting, taut, tense game ebbs and flows but Clontarf prevail by single pointSun Apr 27 2025 - 18:53
Nenagh Ormond make history as they earn promotion to Division 1A of All-Ireland League Nenagh become first Tipperary club to play in the top division; heartache for Cashel as they lose out on promotion to Division 1BSun Apr 27 2025 - 16:52
Women’s AIL final: UL Bohemians stun Railway Union with last play of gameEilis Cahill burrowed over to earn a dramatic victorySun Apr 27 2025 - 16:28
Improved Ireland side can get a much-needed shot of self-belief in Edinburgh Third win out of three away games would rubber-stamp huge strides made by Irish women’s team in the last yearSat Apr 26 2025 - 06:00
AIL final preview: History is against both Cork Con and Clontarf but either side could seize the moment Reigning champions Con seeking to become first side in 20 years to retain title while ‘Tarf have lost eight out of 11 finals Sat Apr 26 2025 - 06:00
Gerry Thornley: Remembering my uncle Johnny Hughes - the man I have most admired in my life The former Clontarf outhalf retired from playing early but never lost his love of the gameFri Apr 25 2025 - 20:24
Cork Con’s Jack Kelleher: ‘Back-to-back win wouldn’t even be a thought in our heads’Reaching the AIL final for the fifth time in seven editions is one thing, but winning two in a row, as Con will attempt on Sunday, is another Fri Apr 25 2025 - 06:00
Clontarf’s Conor Kelly out to banish the ghosts of 2023 in Sunday’s league finalOuthalf has seen the highs and lows of AIL finals, and knows which he prefers, as ‘Tarf face Cork Con at the AvivaThu Apr 24 2025 - 06:00
Leinster’s success masking alarming fault lines which have emerged in Irish rugby This season, as things stand, Munster, Ulster and Connacht have all lost more matches than they have wonTue Apr 22 2025 - 06:00
Leinster’s Diarmuid Mangan making rapid strides towards the topFormer Ireland under-20 star now emulating pal Sam Prendergast and impressing with LeinsterTue Apr 22 2025 - 06:00
Ryan Baird likely to return for Leinster-Northampton Champions Cup duelCalf injury puts James Ryan’s availability in doubtMon Apr 21 2025 - 06:00
Ulster’s Richie Murphy questions legality of Leinster’s breakdown and scrum after defeatNorthern province facing battle to finish in the top eight after losing at the Aviva StadiumMon Apr 21 2025 - 06:00
Leinster look on course to avoid end of season scramble this time around Bonus-point win over Ulster means that Leo Cullen’s side could have wrapped up home semi-final ahead of final round of URC matchesMon Apr 21 2025 - 06:00
All-Ireland League: Clontarf and Cork Constitution to meet in heavyweight deciderThe final will see defending champions Con face the 2022 winners Clontarf at the Aviva Stadium next SundaySun Apr 20 2025 - 18:08
